| What will happen when an LEP child enters the American School System? When a child enters the American school system whose first home language is not English, the local school district will have the child undergo a series of tests to learn the child's ability to use English. Using a standardized test such as the Idea Proficiency Test (IPT), the Language Assessment Test (LAS) or the Bilingual Syntax Measure (BSM) the school board will classify the student into one of three general categories. The terms used to describe the student's level will depend on what State the school district is in, but generally the most common terms are: NEP: Non-English Proficient, this means the student has no English-speaking ability at all and must start learning English from the very beginning and will usually be placed in a full-time second language education program. LEP: Limited English Proficient, a student at this level has some English-speaking ability but not enough to go into a normal classroom and be able to follow a lesson at their age/grade level. The student will be placed in either a full-time or part time second language education program depending on their level and what the local school district has to offer them. (Note: in California, these students are called English Language Learners (ELL)) FEP: Fluent English Proficient, the student can use English well enough to be able to work in a normal English-speaking classroom and they will be put into the regular school system. If they have some weak areas, but are overall fluent in English, they will probably be placed in a part-time second language education program to help them overcome their weaknesses. Once student's level is determined, the school board's advisors will normally sit down with the parents of the children and discuss what options the parents have in that district, if there is more than one option. Currently in the United States most districts offer either ESL or Transitional Bilingual programs, and the school board will try to place the new student in the program which the parents believe is best for their child. In some districts where there is a high immigrant population from a certain language group, there may even be whole schools devoted to teaching the children. Roughly 75% of the LEP learners in the United States are from Spanish speaking backgrounds, with the remaining highest percentages of LEP speakers coming from homes speaking Vietnamese, Hmong, Cantonese, Cambodian, Korean, Laotian and Navajo. Together these groups comprise roughly 85% of the LEP learners in the United States, however in total 350 language groups are in use in schools across America. It should also be remembered that some groups, such as Spanish speakers or Native Americans like the Navajo are not immigrants, but are in fact children born in communities where English is not the dominant language. In addition, the majority of LEP students are in the elementary grades, and roughly 75% of them come from poor backgrounds and attend high-poverty schools. Back to Main Page... |